I. ˈlēf, -ēv adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English lef, leef, leif, lif, from Old English lēof; akin to Old High German liob dear, beloved, Old Norse ljūfr, Gothic liufs dear, beloved, Old English lufu love — more at love
1. archaic : dear , beloved : precious
2. obsolete : pleasing , agreeable , acceptable — used with dative of personal pronoun
death me liefer were than such despite — Edmund Spenser
3. archaic : willing , glad
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English lef, leef, leif, lif, from Old English lēof, from lēof, adjective
1. archaic : beloved , sweetheart
2. obsolete : dear — used as a title of respect in addressing a superior
III. ˈlē]v, ˈli], ]f\ adverb
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English lef, leef, leif, lif, from lef, leef, leif, lif, adjective
: gladly , willingly , freely — used in the phrases had as lief, would as lief, had liefer, or would liefer
I had as lief go as not
far liefer by his dear hand had I die — Alfred Tennyson
he would as lief have the Germans as neighbors as the British — Manfred Nathan
frankly, I'd just as lief stay